Door mat with interchangeable indicia



15, 6 J. .1. DONNELLAN 2,995,849

DOOR MAT WITH INTERCHANGEABLE INDICIA Filed Jan. 14, 1959 John JDonne/Ian INVENTOR.

BY -Mmmm .Uniw States Pam g r 2,995,849 6 DOOR MAT WITH INTERCHANGEABLEINDICIA John J. Donnellan, 1836 Euclid Ave.,

. Chicago Heights, Ill. Filed Jan. 14, 1959,,Ser. No. 786,803 3 Claims.(Cl. 40-140) The present invention relates to a'door mat whereinvariable characters, numerals and letters are utilized in a manner todisplay the name of the resident owner or a message of Welcome.

As the preceding general statement of the nature of the concept reveals,so-called Welcome mats wherein changeableindicia and data are providedare not new. For example, reference maybe made to the Lorraine Patent1,936,634 which discloses a door mat characterized 'by a flexible body,a channel formed in the body having beveled walls, and a series offlexible or equivalent symbols or letter blocks which are adapted to bearranged in the channels and which have beveled end walls which are suchthat they may be interlocked with the walls of the channel. Obviously,this particular patent is n1entioned because, in a manner of speaking,it tends to categorize the generally analogous, but neverthelessdistinct, nature of the invention at bar.

Stated otherwise, it is an object in the instant matter to improve onthe Lorraine and any other similarly constructed and performing priorpatent or prior art mats by providing a structurally unique adaptationin which the letters or equivalent components are novel in constructionand are highly simple and efficient in construction and which serves tosatisfactorily accomplish the improved results insured by proper use ofthe instant invention.

More explicitly, novelty is predicated on a door mat of suitable shapeand size the top portion of which is provided with at least oneopen-ended channel which is con structed to serve as a receiver andretainer for readily insertable and removable letters or the like usedin providing what may be broadly classified as a decorativemessageconveying door mat.

In carrying out the preferred embodiment of the invention the lengthwisewalls of the insert or letter receiving channels are grooved to providekeyways. 'Ihe cooperating end portions of the letters or inserts havecorrespondingly shaped keys which are removably fitted into the keyways.

Other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparentfrom the following description and the accompanying illustrative but notrestrictive drawing.

In the drawing, wherein like numerals are employed to designate likepar-ts throughout the views:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a lettered or an equivalent door matconstructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exaggerated fragmentary section taken on the plane of theline 22 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one of the letters, symbols or otherinserts of the type preferably used.

Although door mats are capable of being used indoors or outdoors, as thecase may be, it will simplify the presentation and understanding of thesubject matter here to think of a door mat of any suitable size, shapeor material which may be used wherever and whenever a door mat issuitable for use. In any event the door mat proper, which is hereapparently constructed from suitably fabricated rubber or the like, isdenoted by the numeral 4. As already mentioned the central area of thetop surface 5 is channeled lengthwise to define a receiver for thevarious inserts" 6. The channel is denoted generally by the numeral 7and it is constructed so that it opens through the opposite transverseends of the mat.

2,995,849 P d A gv 61 t z a The longitudinal edge portions of theopen-ended channels are provided with built-in tracks which, in turn,provide suitable and desirable keyways. More particularly, thelongitudinal walls of the channel are countergrooved. Each groove isdenoted by the numeral 8. Embedded in the mat and serving to line thewalls or surfaces of the groove is an elongated metal or equivalenttube. The tube shown is somewhat diamond shaped, as it were, incross-section. The main converging wall portions 9 and 10 are suitablyembedded while the exposed convergent flanges 11 and 12 constituteseparate lips with a space therebetween. The thus constructed tube, as aunit, provides the aforementioned keying track or keyway. Whatevercross-sectional shape is adopted for the keying track will determine thecross-sectional shape and size of the keying ribs or' heads seen in FIG.3. With reference to FIG. 3 the insert 6 comprises the letter T having astem' 13 and a cross-head 14. The outer end of the stemis provided witha keying rib orhead 15 which corresponds in cross-section and size tothe complemental or companion keying rib or head 16 along the outer edgeof the cross-head 14. Broadly these elements 15 and 16 may be calledkeys andthe aforementioned tracks keyways', Usually the letters will bestruck out or molded from some suitable composition material so that theletters will yield slightly to be readily slipped into the channel 7 inan endwise manner and thus moved into assembled relationship. There willbe friction gripping contact between the keys and keyways so that theletters, once they are positioned, will stay put. The numeral 17designates the drainage holes arranged preferably at the open endportions of the channel 7.

With the construction shown it will be evident that the keys and keyingtracks are substantially invisible. Therefore only the principal andusable portions of the letters or inserts 6 are seen once the lettersare assembled to provide a surname or other message such as wouldordinarily be used in a mat having interchangeable letters or inserts.

As before mentioned door mats are sometimes thought of in this categoryas greeting mats or Welcome mats as the case may be and while the ideaof interchangeable messages is not in and of itself new it is obviousthat the construction herein shown and disclosed brings about better andmore satisfactory results. Some of the points to be enumerated inconnection with the invention pertain to a construction wherein theletters or inserts are removable easily and interchangeable. With theconstruction disclosed door mats can be olfered with suitable greetingmessages and wherein a supply of inserts would pertain to letters,numerals, designs and the like. It is believed that the channel withconstantly open ends is new and advantageous in that it allows theindividual inserts to be selected and slipped and keyed in the channeland readily pushed out as desired. Thus, it is possible for the owner toselect the desired letters and inserts and to make up his ownidentification, message or the like. The letters or inserts will be madeof metal, rubber, wood or plastic as desired. They can be stamped out indifferent shapes and forms to add to the decorative aspect thereof.Actually the inserts or letters should be some 2 inches in height onwhat may be called a standard size door mat. Customers can buy the matand then purchase the desired letters or inserts for interchangeable andvarying needs. As a matter of fact, the inserts may be made available indifferent colors and design characteristics. By standardizing thecross-sectional shape of the keying tracks and the keys no difficultywill be encountered in oifering to members of the public an innovationin which both ornamental and utilitarian aspects are effectually carriedout.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those 3 skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A door mat comprising a flexible mat having a shallow channel formedin a top side, said channel opening through the respective ends of themat and providing an adaptable receiver and retainer for manuallyapplicable and removable inserts, letters and numerals for example, thelengthwise walls of said channel having open ended insert keying tracksembedded therein, said tracks being disposed in spaced apart parallelismalong the lengthwise edges of the channel, and inserts fitting removablyin the channel and transversely bridging the channel and insertable andremovable by way of the open ends of the channel and tracks and havingkeying means at respective end portions thereof slidingly fitted andkeyed in said tracks.

2. A door mat comprising a flexible mat having a top side provided withan open-ended channel defining and providing a receiver for individualinsertable and removable alphabetical letters or the like, said channelhaving lengthwise walls with grooves for reception and retention 25 oftubular members, open-ended tubular members fitted into their respectivegrooves, said members being longi- 4 tudinally slotted to serve askeying tracks, and individual insertable and removable letters fittedinto said channel and extending transversely across the same, eachletter being provided at ends thereof With keying heads, said keyingheads being keyed in said tracks and the crosssectional construction ofthe tracks and keying'heads being the same.

'3. The structure defined in claim 2 and wherein said tubular member isprovided with converging spaced walls providing an intervening slot toallow for the passage therethrough of the cooperating body portion ofthe coacting letter, said tubular member and said keying head being of acorresponding cross-sectional shape.

References Cited in the file olf this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS833,247 Sampson Oct. 16, 1906 1,921,437 Stupell Aug. 8, 1933 1,936,634Lorraine Nov. 28, 1933 2,005,659 Matteson June 18, 1935 2,659,991Strayer Nov. 24, 1953 2,689,423 Atkin Sept. 21, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS3,007 Great Britain 1903 172,449 Switzerland Feb. 16, 1935

